


airplanes

by kinkykenjirou



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst, Fluff and Angst, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-21
Updated: 2018-04-21
Packaged: 2019-04-25 22:56:15
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,662
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14388837
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kinkykenjirou/pseuds/kinkykenjirou
Summary: what would you wish for if you had one chance?--shirabu kenjirou is dying. semi eita decided to make a thousand paper cranes to wish for time longer than shirabu’s intended due date, even just a day, but it seems that not all wishes are meant to be granted.





	airplanes

**Author's Note:**

> hey hey heyyy so i'm here so soon again with another fic lmao and yes another semishira angst lol why am i not surprised. anw, this would take just about 3-4 chapters, i guess. and please bear with me as i might have slower updates.
> 
> i hope u enjoy this stuff i prepared uwu

**3 months.**

Kenjirou has been holed up in the hospital for three fucking months since his last attack and his body decided to fail him. Three months of bland hospital food, white walls, hospital gowns and the smell of bleach. He missed going out, he missed playing volleyball. Hell, he even missed studying. He just missed being out there. It doesn’t matter if he drowns in the summer heat or be frozen in the winter cold. He just wants, longs to be out there.

A knock on the door startled him from his aimless staring at the television perched on the side of his hospital room.

“Time for your meds.”

Ah, yes. Three months.

Three months of the fucking dextrose attached to his hand, along with the medicines he regularly takes.

(When he was still outside, he doesn’t need to take them regularly, and sometimes he would skip drinking them, no matter how much Taichi reminds him to do so.)

Kenjirou sat up and took the pills that was handed to him. “I don’t get why I still need to drink these. It’s not like it would make a difference. I’m dying, anyway.” He said, glaring with so much malice on the pills he held between nimble fingers.

The intern doctor just shrugged, “Maybe it could cure your being a little shit. Drink.”

Kenjirou rolled his eyes, but followed nonetheless, grimacing after he swallowed the pill along with the water. “This is so gross.”

“Will you stop being a brat and complaining at every little thing?”

“How else am I going to piss you off, Semi-san?” He asked, batting his eyelashes innocently. The intern doctor just glared, taking the water from him and stalking out of the room without another word.

Three months of Semi Eita, the intern doctor and his doctor’s assistant that he got on the bad side of when he was admitted in the hospital three months ago. He was so pissed when his doctor, Ushijima Wakatoshi, told him his condition got worse and that he would need to stay in the hospital. He was so pissed, that when Semi handed him his pills for that night, he harshly shoved his hand away, causing the medicines and water to spill to the ground, the glass shattering against the tiled floor. Ever since that day, Semi would be either frowning or scowling at him whenever he visits Kenjirou inside his hospital room. The few times he’s seen him not do so were when his parents were around, or when he was talking with the hospital staff that he befriended.

His condition plus the bad news that he received was not an excuse for his rude behavior, but it could explain why he acted that way. No one wanted to spend the remaining days of his life holed up in a white-filled box, waiting for the time when death finally gets his hold on you. He wanted to explore, see the world. But unfortunately, he can’t.

 Not when life decided to be an asshole and not when the universe decided to conspire against him.

 

***

 

“Good to have you visit me again.” Kenjirou said as Taichi entered his room, a basket of fruits in hand.

“I wouldn’t if not for the cute nurse by the reception area.” Taichi answered jokingly, making Kenjirou roll his eyes at his best friend. He held out his hand towards Taichi and the taller brunet just raised an eyebrow at him. “Peel some of that stuff you brought and feed me.”

“I’m not your fucking maid. Make Semi-san do it.”

“Like hell would I call him just to do that. I’ve been seeing him every day for the past three and a half months, give me a break and make yourself useful.” Kenjirou demanded. Taichi just huffed, but followed nonetheless.

 

“How’s the team?” Kenjirou asked as he munched on the apple Taichi peeled for him.

“Everyone’s good. Shouta’s getting a little confident and he’s been getting good with the communication thing.” Taichi replied, munching on an apple as well.

“Are you all set for the upcoming official matches?”

“We are, yeah.”

Kenjirou sighed, “I hope I could watch. If I couldn’t be inside the court, the least I want to do is support you and see all of you play.”

“Well, it’s still a month and half from now. Maybe we could work something out and get Ushijima-san to agree to take you out for a day.”

Kenjirou smiled at the thought of being able to go out once again. It doesn’t matter if he couldn’t play volleyball, as long as he could step out and breathe in some fresh, natural air once again, he would be happy.

 

***

 

The next time Ushijima came in his hospital room to check on him, the doctor carried bad news. Apparently, Kenjirou’s condition is continually worsening, spiking up the frustration that settles in the boy’s chest, as well as the worry and sadness from his parents.

The plan to ask Ushijima if he could go out and watch his team play is now just that: a plan, and he didn’t see it coming into fruition anytime soon, not when Ushijima said he would be under strict observation from then on.

When Semi went to let him take his meds, Kenjirou hard-headedly declined and waited for Semi’s sarcastic and snarky statement. Maybe if he engaged with their usual banter, he could take his mind off from the fact that his heart ailment is slowly taking its toll on his body. Banters with Semi had been a part of his norm for the past months and it was entertaining at the least, and he’s just desperate for an ounce of normality in his life, one he didn’t experience since being admitted in the hospital and staying there for good, because from then on, he just felt sicker than he really is.

But, no, instead of the expected snarky response, he just got a sigh as Semi placed the pills and glass of water by his bedside table.

“I would guess that Ushijima-san relayed the news already.” Semi said and Kenjirou heard the scraping of the chair against the floor as Semi took a seat on the chair beside his bed.

“What do you think?!” Kenjirou hissed. Semi let out a huff, “Well, he isn’t one to delay things like that. You know how straight-forward he could be about it. He was your doctor since you were diagnosed.”

Kenjirou rolled to face Semi, his mouth pulled into a frown, “I didn’t want this.”

“Nobody wanted it, Shirabu. Nobody wanted to lie down on a hospital bed and just wait for death to come get them. But there are just some cases where it happens, and sometimes, we just can’t do something about it.”

Semi was looking at him intensely and Kenjirou thought he may have seen his eyes glaze over, but the intern blinked and it was gone.

“Semi-san.”

“I’ll be leaving so you could have your sleep. Today’s been too much for you.” He said and then left the room without so much as another word. Kenjirou blinked and stared at the door, before his eyes moved to the pills and glass of water that remained untouched on his bedside table.

Semi didn’t coerce him to drink his meds tonight.

 

***

 

Something changed that night. Sure, the banters were still there, and Semi still glared and frowned at him, but its occurrence became less as time passed by. They’re able to hold a few, real conversations, though everything still ended with a snarky response from either one or both of them.

Kenjirou resisted less with drinking his meds as well, and he can tell that Semi seemed satisfied not having to coerce the brunet in drinking them.

 

“Semi-san, why did you decide to take up medicine and be a doctor?” Kenjirou asked one day while Semi was checking up on him.

“What’s with the sudden interest?” Semi asked him with a raised eyebrow. Kenjirou just offered a shrug, “Nothing. Just answer the damn question.”

“To help people, of course.” Semi answered.

“No shit. I thought you’d be here because you’re secretly a serial killer finding a way to easily kill people without traces of your fingerprints.” Kenjirou deadpanned.

“If I am one, I’d surely make you my first victim because you’re such a little shit.”

“Tell me something I don’t know.”

Semi just sighed and decided not to rise to Kenjirou’s bait. “I took up medicine because I wanted to be able to help sick people, even in the littlest ways.” He answered. “When Ushijima-san offered to take me in as his assistant, and an intern, I immediately accepted. And when he assigned me to you, I gladly accepted as well, even though you’re a hard-headed little brat.”

“I would’ve guessed that you’ve given up on me after fighting with you. Honestly, I’ve been through a lot of nurses, and Tendou-san was the only one who stayed and well, you.”

“You being hard-headed is the least challenge I could take. I’ve been through worse.” Semi sat down on the chair beside Kenjirou’s bed and propped his chin on his palm. “I had a brother, and he had the same condition as you. I was just in high school back then, and I needed to take a part-time job because my parents can’t afford all his hospital bills and his medicines. He needed to stay in the hospital, he was getting worse day by day. He was just 8 that time, turning 9 in a few months, but well, he never got to.”

Kenjirou’s heart started to beat fast at the implication of Semi’s story.

“He died a week before his birthday. It hit the family hard, of course it did. Especially me. He was my only brother and I love him so much. I was there when he was born, when he grew up. I want to watch him graduate and get into a wonderful university, be the intellectual and talented person he is growing to be. But it didn’t happen. I guess, that’s when I decided to be a doctor and take medicine. It was hard, yeah, but I wanted to. Of course, helping people is one of the reasons, but I think what made me really take medicine, and stay to take care of you is because if I’m not able to save my brother’s life, then maybe I could save another. Who knows, maybe I could save you.”

Kenjirou just stared at Semi and he didn’t even realize he was crying until Semi stood up abruptly, panicking as he saw the tears streaming down his face.

“O-oi, why are you crying?!?” Semi asked, searching the room for a towel that Kenjirou could use to wipe his tears. He settled for the tissue on the bedside table and went to work wiping Kenjirou’s tears.

“I’m sorry for your loss.” Kenjirou said quietly, making Semi stop.

“You don’t have to be sorry for anything. It was something that happened out of our control.” Semi said as he continued to gently wipe Kenjirou’s tears away, patting his head after he did. “Stop crying, you look ugly.”

Kenjirou glared at him, but it lacked the malice it contained before, and Semi just laughed at him before ruffling his hair.

 

Kenjirou wondered, if like Semi’s brother, would he be able to leave an impact as life-changing as that when he passed away?

 

***

 

 

“What are you doing?” Semi asked as he entered Kenjirou’s hospital room, eyes roaming around and taking in the papers that are scattered everywhere. Taichi greeted him with a nod from his place beside Kenjirou’s bed, a folded paper on his hand.

“I’m making paper cranes.” Kenjirou answered, eyes not leaving the pink piece of paper he was working on folding.

“A thousand paper cranes at that.” Taichi said.

“For what?”

“Don’t you know about the legend of the paper cranes, Semi-san?” Kenjirou asked, fingers working meticulously as he folded the paper.

“I don’t think I do.”

“It is said that when you fold a thousand paper cranes, your wish would be able to come true.”

“Oh? What would you wish for then?”

“I don’t know. Maybe to be able to get well so I could get out of here, play volleyball once again, to have that one book I haven’t gotten and been dying to read, get my college degree. There’s a lot, I don’t even know what of those to wish for because everything sounds appealing.”

“Can’t you just wish for all of it?”

“I could, but not everything is what I exactly want in the long run. I would want to wish being able to play volleyball right now, but what would happen if I got it? I would wish to get my college degree, but what happens after? I would wish for that book, but after I read it, it would just be another book in my shelf at home.

“We wish for a lot of things, but I think the one that counts the most is the one your heart truly desires the most.”

Taichi looked at him in surprise at the sappy yet deep statement he seemed to have said absently. Kenjirou raised his head to look at Semi, who was just staring at him, shocked as well with what Kenjirou had said. “Is it time for my meds?” he asked, snapping Semi back to reality.

“Uh, yes.” Semi said, handing Kenjirou his pills, which the brunet took quickly and returned to working on his paper cranes. Semi turned to leave, but stopped midway, turning back around to look at Kenjirou. “Teach me how to make the paper cranes.”

Kenjirou looked at him questioningly, “Why?”

“A thousand is too much to make, especially when there’s just two of you. I want to help. And besides, it looks fun.”

“Alright, come find me when you’re not busy or anything and I’d teach you.” Kenjirou agreed. Taichi once again shot him a surprised look, and Semi just nodded before leaving the room.

 

***

 

“Dude, are you okay?” Taichi asked Kenjirou as soon as Semi stepped out of the room.

“I’m in a hospital bed, Taichi. I am sick, so technically speaking I am not okay.” Kenjirou answered.

“Kenjirou, you drank your meds without resisting. You hardly do that, not even if it was me or your mother that had to force you to do it."

Kenjirou shrugged, "It's easier and less tiring to just go with the flow instead of continuously resisting, especially when the one forcing you to do it is as pushy as Semi-san."

"And you just had a normal, snark-free conversation with Semi-san. That’s new.”

“We could talk normally once in a while.”

“Which you refused to do before because, and I quote, ‘he’s just an overbearing intern who could fuck off.’ What changed?”

Kenjirou paused his motions and thought of it because, if he thought back on it, Semi and he had been conversing with less snark and sass lately. There was still the banter, of course. It would always be there for it was a trademark of theirs, just like his and Taichi’s.

When did their heat-based banter turned into friendly ones?

Was it when Semi comforted him?

Was it when Semi opened up to him about his younger brother?

“I.. honestly don’t know. It just.. happened.”

 

Kenjirou thought of the way Semi’s voice softened whenever they exchanged banter, lacking the usual heat it once possessed, the way his glare nulled its intensity, and the way that he would let out a smile or even a laugh.

It made Kenjirou smile unconsciously as he returned to making another paper crane.

Taichi noticed the sudden change in his best friend’s demeanor, and he smiled as well.

 

If Taichi could wish for something when he got the chance, he would gladly wish for Kenjirou’s happiness, even if it means more than a thousand paper cranes to achieve it.


End file.
